Schouwenberg predicts that hackers will make major assaults on the Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone and handsets running the Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android operating system beginning in 2010. “The first malicious programs for these mobile platforms appeared in 2009, a sure sign that they have aroused the interest of cybercriminals,” he commented to the national newspaper. Google is scheduled to launch its own handset, the Nexus One, early next year.
The most often hacked and often attacked software products in history are certainly Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows and Office, although some versions of the software have proven more vulnerable than others. Microsoft regularly issues “patches” and in July went so far as to release a statement saying that its Office desktop applications suite, which has already been hit by cybercriminals, could still be vulnerable to attacks unless users take proper precautions.
Software security has become a multi-billion industry, particularly protecting Microsoft products. McAfee (NYSE:MFE) and Symantec (NASDAQ:SYMC), the two largest software security companies, had $8 billion in revenue between them last year. But, the PC and server worlds are still awash in spam, phishing attacks, and malware problems. The best that can be said about the two software security firms and their competitors is that the problems are not worse than they are already.
The mobile operating system and software businesses are not as mature as they are in the PC industry. The iPhone and its OSX operating system were only introduced two and a half years ago. Android-powered handsets have been widely available in the market for less than a year. Each platform has tens of millions of users and that figure is rising rapidly. Some experts expect another 40 million iPhones to be sold in 2010. 247wallst
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